Windy docking, tough manuvers

[@gearjammer2107]

I definitely dont mean to judge, I'm just asking, might it have been easier to turn around, if possible, and back from the opposite direction so the wind would be pushing the bow parallel to the dock, instead if into it, as hes backing up?

[@AskCaptainChris]

Gear Jammer yes. Ideal conditions are to dock into the wind. This boat has twin pods and it appears to have a bow thruster. So he could have gotten the stern in easily then pivoted around the piling. More bow thrusting would have been helpful.

[@george7021]

@@AskCaptainChris This boat has bow thruster!

[@AskCaptainChris]

george7021 oops. We comment on so many each day that we must have confused videos when we were answering. I have edited the comment. Thanks for watching.

[@paulpaterson5946]

The bow acts like the skinny end of a wind sock, it'll always be blown away from the wind so if you docked bow into wind you'd be pushed around a lot more. I thnk the captain would have helped himself more if he'd gone past the dock, stopped then gained momentum back into the wind to start his procedure then made the controlled turn. As it was he was still fighting the forward momentum as well as the wind. Lose that momentum first and you'll find that easier.

[@bobzuidema3560]

Nice vid! Would I be right if I said I would have sailed pass the berth and dock upwind instead of downwind?

[@AskCaptainChris]

That's the ideal procedure.

[@heesanoice7637]

I'd have turned around and attempted that move in to the wind.

[@blewyd]

Two fenders in not enough especially with this wind.

[@morteparla6926]

Couldn't agree more... Especially a boat that size. Fenders are too small, and he needs at least 3.

[@tiger6468]

Must to turning bow to wind because wind coming starboard

[@AskCaptainChris]

That was what I saw BUT the cabin was acting like a large sail and making it difficult for them to maneuver.

[@tiger6468]

​@@AskCaptainChrismany thank you capt. Chris

[@skammer0274]

I would have gone downwind of the leeward piling and backed and pivoted using the screws and the thruster. More fenders to leeward (port). This could have been cleaner.

[@AskCaptainChris]

Sean Kammer we were NOT working with this boat owner. Merely watching from the dock. There were quite a few boats coming in for a rendezvous so we were able to catch a variety of them docking in this stiff wind. Check out our playlist for more examples. Thanks for watching and for your comments. BTW you can NEVER have enough fenders for situations just like this. 👍🏼

[@dannyboyspace]

I think that's I would have done too.... go past the slip... and back in going upwind. Still have to get the bow upwind when turning into the slip, but seems at least that way I'd be more in control of boat speed and leeway.

[@christinafidance340]

I need to learn how to do this without a bow/stern thruster!!!

[@nashguy207]

That was some tough conditions to dock in.

[@raym5113]

add slips are narrow too

[@briansweeney6216]

Hey good video. Looking for docking in current with a 90 degree slip to the current. Any pointers ?

[@AskCaptainChris]

Make sure your engine and thrusters are trustworthy- keep up with your maintenance- before attempting to dock against the current. Ask your marina neighbors if they have any tips.

[@TheRemyRomano]

That was very painful to watch. Is the fairway too narrow to turn and drift into position? Put another quarter in the bow thruster! 😅

[@winty]

Thanks, Capt. Anyone on the east coast cruising with a single screw no thruster? Love the docking videos with narration.

[@AskCaptainChris]

winty thanks for watching. Glad you enjoy. Our first three cruising boats when we were in LOuisiana (and even one of my crew boats) were single screw no thruster.

[@brianprinty3662]

@@AskCaptainChris Yeah i would love to see more instructions and tips on docking a single sterndrive with no thrusters. there really doesn't seem to be to much information on that. is that because there isn't to much you can do in high wind situations or because not many people know how to do it ?

[@AskCaptainChris]

Brian Printy these stern drives operate just like an outboard. Depending upon the rotation of the propeller it will usually back stronger to one side or another. Practice this when there is no wind.

[@matt9d8]

I have a single 38+2 MT double cabin. W no flybridge @winty

[@ilpostino321]

You only show big boats with thrusters. Do you have any video showing twin engine boats in the mid 30'?

[@AskCaptainChris]

Arnaldo da Brescia look at our DOCKING playlist and you will see a wide variety of boats. Twin, single, with and without thrusters.

[@mytwogoodhands2799]

Why did they not use the walking fender? Why not bow in it would be easy

[@AskCaptainChris]

My Two Good Hands we just happened upon this docking while in Norfolk at a rendezvous so we can only guess. Re:walking fender? We like the idea and use one any time we have a spare. Sometimes we even use a long line (securely coiled with a long tail/handle) if not enough fenders aboard the boat we are training on. Docking bow in is ALWAYS an option. But, sometimes the power hook up location on the dock and length of power cord might make you decide to bow vs stern in. We love to socialize but sometimes you just want a little more privacy than stern in offers. Whatever brings you joy.

[@davidmorrisjones8999]

This boat has high topsides that act like a sail on a windy day like this . The need here is to control the bow and counteract the wind blowing onto the starboard side of the boat The best way to do that is to secure a rope to the bow cleat of the boat and run it all the way back to the stern - outside all the rails and fenders. Hanging on to the free end of the rope, a crew member tosses the rope over the top of the outer wooden piling on the startboard side. The skipper then reverses into the dock - and the rope runs freely around the piling but the crewman keeps it sufficiently taut to stop the bow being pushed downwind as the vessel reverses into the dock. It's easy - and gives you solid control of your boat no matter how much wind and tide are pushing against the starboard side of the boat.

[@szymondworski]

Thanks, makes sense!

[@PaddyODour]

How not to dock your boat in the wind

[@scomo532]

Way, you must keep way on a boat when docking in a breeze. You cannot maneuver a boat if she has no way on her. Pussy footing around leads to trouble. It didn’t look like much of breeze.

[@AskCaptainChris]

Yes there was a stiff breeze that afternoon. No waves because of the breaker wall just to screen right.

[@scomo532]

@@AskCaptainChris Be that as it may, the skippah must maintain way on the vessel to maneuver her into the slip. The higher the wind the greater the required way

[@salvatoregagliardi48]

I think I would have passed the slip and then reversed with a little more power.

[@kevinderr440]

I’m oil patch. I’ll roll against anything too - unless I’m in an aluminum crew boat that splits open like tin foil.

[@AskCaptainChris]

I ran steel boats with aluminum houses on top. Usually Breauxs.

[@christiangutierrez2198]

good god that bow thruster skip!!!!

[@dougshirley3460]

Two engines, bow thruster, stern thruster, crew, a little wind & still can't get it in there without marking up the boat. Too many toys to play with. Give me my single engined lobster boat style hull, a good deckhand with a spring line & maybe a bow thruster just in case it might be needed.

[@nyinfamous2k2]

it must be nice to have a bow thruster

[@AskCaptainChris]

RicWorks247 it is nice. But as you can see, it isn’t always the solution. Wind or current can be more powerful than the thruster.And on rare occasions you can suck up a stick or plastic bag. Less rare is the battery getting too weak to sufficiently power the thruster. ...all of which will require close quarter maneuvers without using them. Thanks for watching.

[@travcon8]

Sure is. He could have used them a little sooner.

[@A.Matt7]

Easy due to direction of the wind.

[@AskCaptainChris]

Matthew_Aviation not so easy with the wind as strong and gusting as it was. Even the thrusters weren’t as beneficial as you might think due to the strength of the wind. Thanks for watching.

[@johnnymindorff4885]

Twin screw they could have just split the sticks

[@ep4684]

More throttle?? Definitely not. (1) Start down wind if possible (2) use your lines! They didn't even try to use those pilings. Especially in conditions like this, I always have a line at least 1.5x the length on the boat. cleat fore and aft & toss over the piling.

[@CH-nl3oo]

Possibly drop the camera and help?

[@AskCaptainChris]

Thanks for watching. You must have stumbled on our teaching channel and not realize how or why we present these videos to you. I film while I am already out on someone’s boat providing training. Nothing is scripted and safety is ALWAYS first. I catch what I can, as it’s happening. Had no one been available to assist (like the three people visible by my camera, two of whom worked for the marina, and the many more out of camera shot but also on a nearby dock) then I would not have bothered to film this as I would have helped and you would not have been watching. Safety first and be kind.

[@eddu4361]

That’s not the way to do it clearly

[@AskCaptainChris]

Ed Du but oh so close the first time. And they got in eventually.

[@carbidegrd1]

Those wedding cakes need keels!

[@AskCaptainChris]

carbidegrd1 everything is a trade off.

[@carbidegrd1]

@@AskCaptainChris Amen. Those boats are sold on the hard at shows. The reality is that they are less than 2 feet in the drink and have sides that equal the square footage of a 30 foot sailboat with full jig and main.

[@jrcrawford4]

More throttle and use that stern thruster. That's what it's there for. So say I -- the armchair captain.

[@AskCaptainChris]

Rob Crawford love your acknowledged armchair perspective but I agree. Of course your crew needs to be prepared for more power (just in case have a hand for the boat-always!) particularly in a boat with these engines as it tends to jump when you add more power. Can’t speak for the thrusters as I don’t know how much he had already been using them or if they were already in use and we just couldn’t see it. Definitely couldn’t HEAR them that day. The wind was pretty strong so thrusters can only take you so far.

[@jrcrawford4]

I was thinking maybe he could come in a little softer or crab around the corner of that dock with both, but you're right about that wind; he may have been using both. I'd rather have a boat with less top hamper but he handled his pretty well. Am loving your videos and learning a lot!

[@AskCaptainChris]

Thanks for watching. Sometimes you just have to be at the wheel to feel what the boat is doing and how it IS or IS NOT responding. You can roll up the windows to have more air flow through but power boats with house and flybridge just have to accommodate for it.

[@Quartz331]

ooops .. saved in the last sec.

[@bpivr]

Boat name - Toy 4 Doc. This is why healthcare is expensive.

[@wilbertxoolturriza5479]

Bad manuver¡

[@richardkaye2228]

Complete disaster for a starter he should have been backing up into the wind to enter the berth I am now dumber for watching this video

[@souzas57]

Find another job captain!!!!

[@AskCaptainChris]

Be kind. This is a teaching channel. Thanks for helping us keep an encouraging channel for new boaters to learn.